The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of the Compositae family. The new variety is named Helichrysum bracteatum×splendidum ‘Harvest Merlot’.
This new Helichrysum variety originated as a seedling from the progeny of a controlled hybridization conducted by the inventor in a commercial nursery in the city of Half Moon Bay. Half Moon Bay is located in San Mateo County, on the northern coast of California.
The inventor crossed Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Harvest Fire’, the subject of a currently pending U.S. patent application, with Helichrysum bracteatum×splendidum ‘Raspberry’, the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,929, to produce the new variety. ‘Raspberry’ was the pollen parent, and ‘Harvest Fire’ was the seed parent. The pollen parent ‘Raspberry’ is itself the result of a controlled hybridization. ‘Raspberry’ was produced by crossing Helichrysum bracteatum bracteatum×splendidum ‘Harvest Plum’, the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,742, with Helichrysum bracteatum bracteatum×splendidum ‘Lemon’, the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,976. In the cross that produced ‘Raspberry’, ‘Harvest Plum’ was the seed parent. ‘Harvest Fire’, the seed parent of the new variety, is itself the result of a controlled hybridization. ‘Harvest Fire’ was produced when Helichrysum bracteatum bracteatum×splendidum ‘Raspberry’, the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,929, was crossed with Helichrysum bracteatum (Venten.) Andr. ‘Harvest Nectarine’, the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,834. In the cross that produced ‘Harvest Fire’, ‘Raspberrry’ was the seed parent. The new variety was selected for commercial development because of its unique flower head color, the hardiness and attractiveness of its leaves and its generally good post harvest characteristics.
The new variety is suitable for commercial plant culture because of its long-lasting flowers, attractive coloring and compact growth habit. The desirable and unique combination of characteristics of the new variety include:                the color of its flower head and bud,        its dense and attractive foliage that resists yellowing,        its compact growth habit, and        its ability to grow and thrive as a commercial plant for sale.        
The infloresence is made up of a number of involucral bracts, surrounding a disk head. The base of the outer bracts are not pigmented. The pigmentation is the same for both the abaxial and the adaxial sides of the bracts. The outermost involucral bracts of the bud appear as RHS 64 B (red-purple group). The rest of the bracts have an overall appearance of RHS 58 A (red-purple group). The tips of the outer bracts are RHS 187 A (greyed-purple group).
The following table compares the new variety to the closest varieties known to the inventor and its parents.
TABLE 1‘Harvest ‘Raspberry’Nectarine’ H. bracteatumU.S. PlantU.S. ‘Harvest(generalPat. No.Plant Pat. Fire’ patentcharacteristics)19,929No.10,834 pendingBractVariousR.H.S 58 DBract tips:Involucralcolorcolors(red-purpleR.H.S. 34Abracts atgroup)(orange-redopening aregroup).predominantlyBract base:R.H.S. 22AR.H.S. 21C(yellow-orange(yellow-group). Upper orange involucralgroup).bracts whenBase colorflower head is dominatesmature are in innermostpredominantlybracts.R.H.S. 9A(yellow group).BudVarious colorsR.H.S. 187 DR.H.S. 26Acolor(greyed-purple group)LeafPuberulentPuberulentPuberulentPuberulent Surfacesand sparsely villous, mainveins are hirsuteSuit-GoodGoodGoodGoodabilityfor potcultureEase ofGenerallyGoodGoodGoodforcinggoodGrowthGenerallyCompactGoodCompacthabitcompact‘HarvestPlum’ U.S.‘Lemon’ U.S.Plant Pat. No.Plant Pat. No.New Variety10,74219,976‘Harvest Merlot’Bract colorBract tips:R.H.S 5 BThe outermost R.H.S. 66D(yellow group).involucral (red -purple bracts of the bud group).appear as R.H.S. Bract base:64 B (red-purpleR.H.S. 155Cgroup). The(white group).rest of the bracts Tip colorhave an overalldominates inappearanceof all but inner-R.H.S. 58 A most bracts.(red-purplegroup). The tips of the outer bracts are R.H.S.187 A (greyed-purple group).Bud colorBract tips:R.H.S. 160 D R.H.S. 187 A R.H.S. 187A(greyed-yellow(greyed-purple (greyed-group)group)purple group.Bract base:R.H.S. 67B(red-purplegroup)Leaf SurfacesPuberulentPuberulentPuberulentSuitabilityGoodGoodGoodfor pot cultureEase ofGoodGoodGoodforcingGrowth habitCompactCompactCompact
The distinguishing characteristics are retained by asexually reproduced, successive generations. The inventor, at a commercial nursery in Half Moon Bay, Calif., has asexually reproduced the new variety through three successive generations by means of cuttings and has found that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed remain firmly fixed.